This invention relates in general to drive train systems for transferring rotational power from a source to a driven mechanism, such as from a vehicular engine/transmission assembly to an axle assembly. In particular, this invention relates to a balance correction device that is adapted to be supported within a driveshaft assembly of such a drive train system for balancing the driveshaft assembly for rotation about an axis.
Drive train systems are widely used for generating power from a source and for transferring such power from the source to a driven mechanism. Frequently, the source generates rotational power, and such rotational power is transferred from the source to a rotatably driven mechanism. For example, in most land vehicles in use today, an engine/transmission assembly generates rotational power, and such rotational power is transferred from an output shaft of the engine/transmission assembly through a driveshaft assembly to an input shaft of an axle assembly so as to rotatably drive the wheels of the vehicle. To accomplish this, a typical driveshaft assembly includes a hollow cylindrical driveshaft tube having a pair of end fittings, such as a pair of tube yokes, secured to the front and rear ends thereof. The front end fitting forms a portion of a front universal joint that connects the output shaft of the engine/transmission assembly to the front end of the driveshaft tube. Similarly, the rear end fitting forms a portion of a rear universal joint that connects the rear end of the driveshaft tube to the input shaft of the axle assembly. The front and rear universal joints provide a rotational driving connection from the output shaft of the engine/transmission assembly through the driveshaft tube to the input shaft of the axle assembly, while accommodating a limited amount of angular misalignment between the rotational axes of these three shafts.
Ideally, the driveshaft tube would be formed in the shape of a cylinder that is absolutely round, absolutely straight, and has an absolutely uniform wall thickness. Such a perfectly shaped driveshaft tube would be precisely balanced for rotation and, therefore, would not generate any undesirable noise or vibration during use. In actual practice, however, the driveshaft tube and other components of the driveshaft assembly usually contain variations in roundness, straightness, and wall thickness that result in minor imbalances when rotated at high speeds. To prevent such imbalances from generating undesirable noise or vibration when rotated during use, therefore, it is commonplace to counteract such imbalances by performing a corrective action, such as by securing one or more balance weights to the driveshaft assembly or by removing material therefrom, for example. The corrective action is taken to counterbalance the imbalances of the driveshaft assembly such that it is balanced for rotation during use.
Traditionally, the balancing process has been performed with the use of a conventional balancing machine. A typical balancing machine includes a pair of fittings that are adapted to support the ends of the driveshaft assembly thereon. The balancing apparatus further includes a motor for rotating the driveshaft assembly at a predetermined speed. As the driveshaft assembly is rotated, the balancing machine senses vibrations that are caused by imbalances in the structure of the driveshaft assembly. The balancing machine is responsive to such vibrations for determining both if the driveshaft assembly is out of balance and, if so, the magnitude and location of a corrective action that can be taken to counterbalance the imbalances of the driveshaft assembly such that it is balanced for rotation during use. The rotation of the driveshaft assembly is then stopped to allow such corrective action to be taken. Then, the driveshaft assembly is again rotated to confirm whether proper balance has been achieved or to determine if additional corrective action required. A number of such balancing machines of this general structure and method of operation are known in the art.
In the past, vehicular driveshaft tubes have been formed from steel alloys or other metallic materials having relatively large wall thicknesses and having relatively high melting temperatures. In such driveshaft tubes, conventional welding processes have been commonly used to secure the balance weights directly to the outer surfaces thereof. Because of the relatively large wall thicknesses and relatively high melting temperatures of such driveshaft tubes, the heat generated during the welding process does not adversely distort the shape or affect the torque-transmitting capacity thereof in a significant manner. However, in some instances, it is desirable to form the driveshaft tubes having relatively small wall thicknesses or from materials having relatively low melting temperatures. For example, in racing vehicles, it may be desirable to minimize the wall thickness of the driveshaft tube to reduce weight. Also, it may be desirable to form the driveshaft tubes from aluminum alloys and other relatively lightweight metallic materials that have relatively low melting temperatures. The use of conventional welding processes to secure the balance weights directly to the outer surfaces of the driveshaft tubes in either of these instances is somewhat more difficult because the heat generated during the welding process may undesirably distort the shape or affect the torque-transmitting capacity thereof in a significant manner. Thus, it would be desirable to provide an improved structure for rotationally balancing an article, such as a driveshaft assembly for use in a vehicular drive train system, that avoids these problems.